Defibrillator

ABSTRACT

A defibrillator having an electronic system arranged in a housing and electrodes which can be connected to the system and are to be placed on the patient. This invention provides a user-friendly defibrillator. Thus, the electrodes are received in a chamber provided on the inner side of a cover which can be opened or removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a defibrillator with an electronic devicearranged in a housing and having electrodes which can be connectedthereto and can be applied to a patient.

2. Discussion of Related Art

A defibrillator is taught by European Patent Reference EP 0 801 959 A2.There, patient electrodes are connected by a connecting cable to asocket arranged on an outside of a housing wall. Furthermore, there is acontrol panel with operating and display elements on an outside of thehousing. Such defibrillators are more and more often positioned asemergency devices in buildings accessible to the public or othersuitable locations, so that they are quickly available in case of anemergency. Such defibrillators should be designed as simply as possible,so that they can also be operated by an untrained user.

Patient electrodes packed in a vacuum-tight manner are taught by U.S.Pat. No. 5,502,894.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of this invention is to provide a defibrillator of the typementioned above but which is particularly user-friendly.

This object is achieved with a defibrillator having characteristicsdiscussed in this specification and in the claims. Thus, the electrodesare received in a chamber formed on the inside of a cover which can beflipped open or removed.

The electrodes to be applied to a patient are not only protectivelyhoused in the device by these measures, but are also immediatelyavailable to a user in the event of an emergency after the user hassimply removed the cover from the housing.

The simple operation and dependable functioning are assisted if in theunused state of the defibrillator the electrodes are connected by aconnecting cable and a plug connected therewith to a connection socketof the housing connected with the electronic device in a hollow chambercovered in an unused state by the cover.

In order to assure dependable functioning over a prolonged period oftime the measures are advantageous, wherein the electrodes are receivedby a vacuum-sealed electrode receptacle in the chamber of the cover. Itis also possible to simultaneously program cyclically occurringelectrode test processes, wherein the electrodes are suitably designedand arranged and are provided in a known manner with a gel layer ontheir active surface. Together with their pickup, the electrodes can beeasily taken from the chamber in the cover, or are already released fromthe housing when taking the cover off, because the electrode receptacleis torn open because of its structure and arrangement in the housing.

For the operation a handle is arranged on the outside of the cover,which can be grasped by a user and by which the cover can be torn offthe housing.

In one advantageous embodiment, the handle is a pull strap connectedwith the cover or the electrode receptacle. If, for example, the pullstrap is fastened on the electrode receptacle, it is replaced after ause of the defibrillator when the chamber is equipped with a freshelectrode receptacle, wherein the pull strap is conducted from theinside of the cover to the outside.

Embodiments advantageous for operation include the cover having holdingelements which, for fixing it on the housing, are latched, clipped orsnapped into counter-holding elements arranged on the outside of thehousing. In this case, the holding elements and/or the counter-holdingelements can be advantageously formed on the cover or the housing.

With further chambers formed and further removable operating utensilsreceived on an inside of the cover, there is a user-friendly design. Arazor, gloves, a brush, or the like are operating utensils which areuseful when the defibrillator is used.

It can be advantageous for an ordered housing and definite closure onthe inside of the cover for the at least one chamber with the electrodesand possibly further operating utensils to be covered by a removableinner cover element.

The steps are advantageous for functioning and simple operation, whereina housing wall at the front, which in the unused state is covered by thecover and in the used state is released, is embodied as a control panelwith at least one triggering element for defibrillation and user guideelements.

It is helpful for simple use that information for the actuation of thehandle is arranged on the outside of the cover. For example, theinformation can be an easily understandable symbol on the outside of thecover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention is explained in greater detail in view of an exemplaryembodiment and by making reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a defibrillator with a holder in a perspective plan view;

FIG. 2 shows a cover of the defibrillator in FIG. 1, in a perspectiveplan view;

FIG. 3 shows the defibrillator in FIG. 1, with the cover removed;

FIGS. 4 a, 4 b and 4 c show the inside of the cover shown in FIG. 2, inthree different states of being equipped;

FIG. 5 shows a partial sectional view of the defibrillator in the areaof or near a holding section of the cover;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the defibrillator with the coverremoved; and

FIGS. 7 a to 7 f show different views of the cover.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A defibrillator 1 with a housing 2, into whose front a cover 3 isinserted and which has a holder 4 with a base element 4.1 and rearsupport element or holding element 4.2, is shown in FIG. 1. Such adefibrillator, a so-called automatic external defibrillator (AED forshort) can be operated by an untrained user in case of an emergency andis preferably positioned in an easily accessible location.

The housing 2 with outer contours designed to be rounded, has anintegrated handle element 2.1 in an upper area, and on a front has acontrol panel which, for example, has a control section 2.21, a triggerelement 2.22 for defibrillation and a display unit 2.23, and is arrangedin a depression recessed in respect to its border. The cover 3 is fittedinto the border in order to form with its front a homogeneoustermination, slightly convexly arched toward the exterior. Thedepression, and thus in the unused state also the cover 3, aresurrounded in a border-like manner on all sides by the remaining area ofthe front of the housing. The base element 4.1 of the holder 4 isattached to the underside of the border.

In the transition area between the lower border section or the upper ora lateral border section of the housing 2 and the cover 3, a graspingmeans in the form of a pull strap 3.1 is arranged, by which the insertedcover 3 can be rapidly and simply removed from the housing 2 byobliquely pulling upward, or possibly downward or laterally toward thefront, as indicated by the information means in the form of aninformation arrow 3.2 applied to the front of the cover 3.

The cover 3 is fixed in place on the housing 2 by one or several holdingsections 3.3 formed in the upper edge area, and one or more furtherholding sections 3.4 formed on the lower edge of the cover 3, in matchedcomplementary counter-holding elements in the transition area of therespective border sections to the depression. Other holding sections arealso conceivable, for example formed on the rear of the cover 3, andcorrespondingly arranged counter-holding sections in the bottom of thedepression. Because of its elastic force, the plate-like cover 3 made ofplastic and slightly convexly arched forward is dependably held on thehousing 2 and can also be easily removed therefrom in case of emergency.Magnetic holding sections and counter-holding elements, or those actingin accordance with the principle of a burr-type closure, are alsopossible.

Furthermore, a sensor device is advantageously provided, by which thedefibrillator 1 is switched on as soon as the lid-like cover 3 isremoved from the housing 2. For example, the sensor device has amagnetically or opto-electrically or electro-mechanically functioningswitching device, wherein a sensor element 8.1, for example a permanentmagnet or optically acting element or mechanical triggering element,arranged on the cover 3 acts together with a sensor element 8.2, forexample a magnetic field sensor element, a photo-electrically reactingsensor element or a mechanically activable switch or key, arranged on acorresponding housing location, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4C. Thus, aseparate on/off switch can be omitted and the device is ready fortriggering the defibrillation pulse after the electrodes are correctlyplaced.

Several chambers are formed on the back of the cover 3, which areseparated from each other by formed-on strips, as shown in FIG. 4 c.Electrodes 5.2, such as shown in FIG. 6, are placed into a centralchamber 3.6, which themselves have preferably been placed into avacuum-sealed, or at least dust-sealed or moisture-sealed electrodereceptacle 5 or packaging, wherein a connecting cable 5.1, which isconnected with the electrodes 5.2 extends sealed out of the electrodereceptacle 5 and is connected with its other end, to which a plug 5.3 isattached, in a socket in the edge of the depression. The socket iselectrically connected with an electronic device of the defibrillator 1arranged in the interior of the housing 2.

Other chambers 3.5 and 3.7 are arranged at the sides of the centralchamber 3.6, in which suitable operating utensils for the use of thedefibrillator 1 are located, for example a razor 6, gloves and a brush7, as shown in FIG. 4 b. The chambers 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7, along with theutensils stored therein, are covered on the inside by a cover element3.8. With a window arranged in the upper portion of the cover 3 it ispossible to make a visual check from the outside to determine whetherthe chamber 3.6 is re-equipped with a fresh electrode package 5, forexample after the defibrillator 1 is used. The pull strap 3.1 can bearranged, for example, on the cover 3 or on the electrode receptacle 5,wherein it is passed through the lower, or possibly upper or lateraledge of the cover 3 and the lower border section of the housing 2. Ifattached to the electrode receptacle 5, it is also possible to checkwhether one exists on the inside of the cover 3. Also, when pulling thepull strap 3.1, the user already has the electrode package 5 with theelectrodes in his hand, so that a rapid operation is made easier.

The enlarged portion in FIG. 5 shows the holding section 3.4 of thecover 3 placed on the border of the housing 2. The six plan views of thepartial illustrations of FIGS. 7 a to 7 f show the cover 3 in a frontview, view from below, lateral view from the right, from below, lateralview from the left, as well as from a plan view from the rear, whereinthe holding sections 3.4 at the lower edge and the further holdingsections 3.4 at the upper edge are clearly shown.

1. A defibrillator having an electronic device arranged in a housing andelectrodes connectible thereto and that can be applied to a patient, thedefibrillator comprising: the electrodes (5.2) received in a chamber(3.6) formed on an inside of a cover (3) which can be one of flippedopen and removed.
 2. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 1,wherein in an unused state of the defibrillator (1) the electrodes (5.2)are connected by a connecting cable (5.1) and a plug (5.3) connectedtherewith to a connection socket of the housing (2) connected with theelectronic device in a hollow chamber covered in the unused state by thecover.
 3. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 2, wherein theelectrodes (5.2) are received by one of a vacuum-sealed, amoisture-proof and a dust-proof electrode receptacle (5) in the chamber(3.6) of the cover (3).
 4. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 3,wherein a handle (3.1) is arranged on an outside of the cover (3), whichcan be grasped by a user and by which the cover (3) can be torn off thehousing (2).
 5. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 4, whereinthe handle is a pull strap (3.1) connected with one of the cover (3) andthe electrode receptacle (5).
 6. The defibrillator in accordance withclaim 5, wherein the cover (3) has holding elements (3.3, 3.4) which forfixing on the housing (2) are one of latched, clipped and snapped intocounter-holding elements arranged on the outside of the housing, or aremagnetically held on the outside of the housing.
 7. The defibrillator inaccordance with claim 6, wherein further chambers are formed on theinside of the cover (3) and removable operating utensils (6, 7) arereceived.
 8. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 7, wherein theat least one chamber (3.5, 3.6, 3.7) with at least one of the electrodes(5.2) and the further operating utensils (6, 7) is covered by aremovable inner cover element (3.8).
 9. The defibrillator in accordancewith claim 8, wherein a housing wall at the front, which in the unusedstate is covered by the cover (3) and in the used state is released, isa control panel (2.2) with at least one triggering element (2.22) fordefibrillation and user guide elements (2.22, 2.21).
 10. Thedefibrillator in accordance with claim 9, wherein information (3.2) foractuation of the handle (3.1) is arranged on the outside of the cover(3).
 11. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 10, wherein a sensorarrangement (8.1, 8.2) responds to the removal of the cover (3) forswitching on the defibrillator (1).
 12. The defibrillator in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the electrodes (5.2) are received by one of avacuum-sealed, a moisture-proof and a dust-proof electrode receptacle(5) in the chamber (3.6) of the cover (3).
 13. The defibrillator inaccordance with claim 1, wherein a handle (3.1) is arranged on anoutside of the cover (3), which can be grasped by a user and by whichthe cover (3) can be torn off the housing (2).
 14. The defibrillator inaccordance with claim 13, wherein the handle is a pull strap (3.1)connected with one of the cover (3) and an electrode receptacle (5) ofthe cover (3).
 15. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe cover (3) has holding elements (3.3, 3.4) which for fixing on thehousing (2) are one of latched, clipped and snapped into counter-holdingelements arranged on an outside of the housing, or are magnetically heldon the outside of the housing.
 16. The defibrillator in accordance withclaim 1, wherein further chambers are formed on the inside of the cover(3) and removable operating utensils (6, 7) are received.
 17. Thedefibrillator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the chamber (3.5, 3.6,3.7) with at least one of the electrodes (5.2) and the further operatingutensils (6, 7) is covered by a removable inner cover element (3.8). 18.The defibrillator in accordance with claim 1, wherein a housing wall ata front, which in an unused state is covered by the cover (3) and in aused state is released, is a control panel (2.2) with at least onetriggering element (2.22) for defibrillation and user guide elements(2.22, 2.21).
 19. The defibrillator in accordance with claim 4, whereininformation (3.2) for actuation of the handle (3.1) is arranged on theoutside of the cover (3).
 20. The defibrillator in accordance with claim1, wherein a sensor arrangement (8.1, 8.2) responds to a removal of thecover (3) for switching on the defibrillator (1).